


Once Upon a Coloring Book

by doctorsdaughter



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, BAMF Emma, Comfort, Drunkenness, F/F, Fluff, Ice Cream, Mayor Regina, POV Regina, Sheriff Emma, Storybrooke, TinkerBell - Freeform, mentioned robin hood, mentioned zelena, poison oh noes, roland - Freeform, roland henry parallel, testing a story idea
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-15
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-26 13:53:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5007232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctorsdaughter/pseuds/doctorsdaughter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Roland comes up with a prophecy written by Henry, about Emma and Regina, what will happen? Chaos of course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Why Do You Only Call Me When You're High?

**Author's Note:**

> So I was gonna write this as a long one shot but I wanted to know how you guys liked it so please leave comments about what you wanna see happen!

On a cold afternoon in December, Regina attempted to go over reports about something tedious. She rubbed her eyes, took an enormous gulp of the coffee that had turned cold, and finally gave up. She tried calling Henry, but he was with Emma. Of course he was. He was always with Emma.

Emma Swan was, in a word, infuriating. After four years of their “friendship” having so many ups and downs, Regina never thought they would ever get along like they did now. 

Sort of.

Emma had a perfect life, while Regina was dealt the short straw of everything. Emma had the actual Prince Charming and Snow White as her parents. She had rebel sailor Hook for a boyfriend. While Regina had an evil step sister who took her true love, people who only sort of liked her, and the position of mayor of Storybrooke, which now that everyone knew who they were, was pointless. Even Henry, the one constant in her life, was reaching an age where he didn’t want (either) mothers. 

But no matter what Emma did, she always came out ahead.

Regina spent more time than she should have allotted stewing about this fact. She would look at her life, and see nothing but disappointments. She laid back as far as her office chair would allow her. 

“Wishes help,” said a voice that made her jump. 

Roland. 

“What are you doing here? Where’s Robin?” Regina asked, though to be honest, she didn’t mind Roland. He reminded her of a smaller Henry-smart, intuitive. 

“Dad’s with Zelena at the doctor,” Roland said Zelena’s name with disgust. “I wanted to find you.”

“Why?” she asked, offering him the bowl of suckers. “Don’t eat the red ones,” she said quickly. Note: take out the poison apple lollipops.

“I miss you,” Roland said in a soft voice that made Regina’s heart grow. “I liked when you took us for ice cream and let me sit in your office while Daddy ran his errands.”

Regina walked over and sat down next to the boy. “You know your daddy is only doing the honorable thing,” Regina hated herself for rationalizing something she could barely wrap her head around.

“But he’s not happy anymore,” Roland sighed, taking out his coloring book of princes and princesses. Jesus why is this world so obsessed with us? she thought.

“Who do you have in your book?” Regina changed the subject. 

“Henry made it for me,” Roland said happily. “There’s...Dad, Tink, Aunt Emma, and you! It’s kind of like his story book, but I can color in mine.” Roland was obviously happy with the superiority of this book.

“What’s the story?” Regina asked. 

“Well,” Roland flipped back to the beginning of the book, the words at the bottom of the page were bigger, meant for a child who was still learning to read. “There once was a Queen who ruled the town, and she fell in love with Robin Hood -- that’s my dad! -- but Robin Hood couldn’t be with her because fate wouldn’t allow it. So, Tink made a new story for the Queen, one where she would fall in love with a lady! Isn’t that cool?” Roland asked, giving her a toothy grin, his front teeth missing.

Regina’s eyes widened. “A-A-A lady?” she asked, but Roland was already back to coloring in the pages. She peered over Roland’s shoulder, her eyes widening as she tried to hold back a gasp. 

“Roland, who is that?” she pointed at the cartoon woman on the page, trying to keep her voice level.

“Auntie Emma,” Roland said without looking up, saying it as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“I-I don’t think the Queen would fall for Aunt Emma,” she said carefully.

“That’s what Henry said. Don’t worry, he said you never believe at first, otherwise it’s not a love story.”

Regina went quiet, watching Roland, trying to understand what her son, her own son, was prophesizing about. Something had to be done about this. He may be the author, but he was still her son.

~*~

About an hour later, Robin picked up Roland, who apologized profusely for any work he may have distracted her from. She assured him it was fine, made pleasant talk about her soon-to-be nephew (Oh god), and finally walked down to the Charmings’, where Henry lived every other week.

She knocked on the door, adjusting the strap of her briefcase. She was met with Mary Margaret, who greeted Regina with a cheery hello. She guided Regina to Henry’s part of the loft, where he sat doing homework.

“Hey Mom,” he said without looking up. “What do you know about tangents and circles?”

“I know that in the Enchanted Forest, school stopped when a boy could work,” Regina tried. 

“That’s what Grandpa said,” Henry sighed. “I’ll ask Emma.” 

Regina cringed. Another point for Emma.

“Let’s take a break from homework and go to Granny’s,” Regina said. By the look on Henry’s face, he knew immediately something was wrong. 

Or maybe it was the fact that she had pulled him out of the loft before he could answer.

“What did we agree on?” she asked, once they were on the street.

“No more apple lollipops when I can’t sleep?” Henry asked.

“You know that’s not what I meant, and no,” Regina grimaced. “You’re the author, Henry, but you can’t go around changing people’s futures!” she started walking again. “And I thought you broke that pen anyway.”

“Turns out a marker works just as well,” Henry shrugged, grabbing her arm to stop her. “Mom. What I drew Roland was just something I thought of to make him feel better. He hates the situation he’s put in! Zelena practically locks him away when Robin Hood’s not around. My storybook helped me, and I thought maybe a coloring book would help him, and it has!”

“I’m glad that you helped Roland,” she sighed. “But--me and Emma?”

Henry shrugged. “It was just an idea that came to me. I’ve been talking to August--”

“They haven’t turned that woodling back into wood yet?” Regina muttered.

“Mom.” 

“What have you been talking to August about?” she said, trying very hard to give her son a chance to explain.

“He changed the book once. That means the book can be changed. We got your happy ending wrong, but maybe that’s because we haven’t been looking at the right kind of couple.” 

Regina sighed, running her hand through her hair. “Henry, I appreciate you trying to find my happy ending, I really do. But Emma Swan? Emma Swan is not my happy ending.”

~*~

Regina walked through the doorway of her large house, throwing her coat on the floor. Normally she would have picked it up and put it away carefully, but tonight she didn’t care. It was clear that keeping her house clean was not on her mind at the moment.

She walked into her office and made one of her famous apple cider drinks, adding a bit more alcohol this time around. She downed the chute in one gulp, closing her eyes as the alcohol began to take effect. She quickly poured another chute, downing that one as well.

Soon, after five (or maybe six) chutes of her apple cider mixture, she was stumbling around the room, laughing about things that weren’t there.

She used furniture to balance as she walked to her desk, and amazingly, was sober enough to remember Emma’s number. 

The exact conversation was a bit fuzzy but all she knew was that in minutes, there was a knock at the door, with red and blue lights flashing into the windows.

She shielded her eyes; the lights were just too much. She walked over to the door and opened it to find a cold Emma Swan on her doorstep, rubbing her hands on her arms to warm herself up.

“Regina?” Emma yelled over the sirens.

“Could you get them to turn it off?” Regina yelled. Emma nodded and waved to Charming, who was operating the sirens.

“Why are you here?” Regina asked, her words slurring more than she would admit.

“You’re drunk.”

“I’m in my house, I’m not harming anyone!” Regina said, laughing at nothing in particular.

“You called me, you weren’t making any sense,” Emma said, an eyebrow raised.

“You need a drink!” Regina said suddenly, pulling her inside the house. She stumbled through her large foyer, her heels making it that much harder to walk.

“Maybe you should take off your heels,” Emma suggested as she watched in wonder at Regina, someone who was always put together act like, in a word, a mess. 

“Trying to get my clothes off?” Regina laughed as she walked to the study. 

Emma rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to take out her cell phone and record the mayor like this. She felt her cheeks tint pink as she followed Regina. She texted Charming, telling him to go on home because she had this, and walked into the study.

“Come on, have a drink,” Regina coaxed, finally taking those obscenely high heels off. Emma chalked it up to a miracle no ankles were broken.

Once the chute of alcoholic cider was placed in front of her, Emma downed the liquid in one gulp.

“Bad day?” Regina sat down, noticing that it normally would have taken a lot more than just a plea to get the blonde woman to drink. Emma shrugged, pulling the zipper on her jacket higher, which Regina now noticed was hiding a very nice red top, her normal hiking boots were replaced by a more fashionable boot. It was obvious Emma had plans for that night--emphasis on had. The fact that Emma was either stood up, or that Regina had ruined a date hit her like a cold wave, and she sobered.

“Were you on a date?” Regina asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Emma laughed cynically. “No,” she said. “I was stood up, again.”

Regina sat back in her chair, her legs crossed. She observed the woman sitting across from her; a full head of brilliant blonde hair that was often hidden by the ski cap she wore when she was on business. Her face was flawless - there was absolutely no need for heavy makeup like some of the women in town. Still, Emma had tried to accentuate her beautiful eyes by wearing a bit more eye makeup than normal. She even had red lipstick stain on her lips from where she had tried to wipe it off when she realized her date wasn’t coming.

Regina found herself thinking, what kind of idiot would stand up such a brilliant and beautiful woman?

“I’m sorry,” Regina whispered, gauging Emma’s reaction at something that was so rarely said by her. Emma shrugged, rubbing her arms. Regina quickly stood up, giving Emma her seat, closest to the fire. “Please, sit. I’ll grab you a blanket.”

Normally Emma would protest. But the truth was, she was cold, and didn’t have many friends in Storybrooke. So what if she was reaching out at the attempts of Regina’s friendship? It’s not like Regina would remember and Emma certainly planned on having enough chutes of cider to not remember either by the next morning. She watched Regina walked out of the room, and back with two blankets shortly after.

“Who was it?” Regina asked, wondering vaguely if she could put a spell or curse on this person.

Emma shrugged, downing another chute of cider, slowly feeling herself losing her inhibitions. “It’s no one,” she mumbled, her words slurring.

Regina handed Emma a blanket. Emma had gotten out of the chair to curl in front of the fireplace on the tiled floor. Regina smiled at the image--Emma looked more like a child than the Sheriff of Storybrooke. She knelt down, covering Emma with the blanket.

“It was Hook,” Emma said after a moment, her voice thick, trying not to cry. “I’m sure he had a good reason--”

Regina continued to watch Emma, who hardly moved except to wipe her eyes. “The pirate’s in love with you.”

“That’s what I thought too,” Emma said, moving to look back at Regina. “I guess I just pushed him away, like I push everyone away.”

Regina couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Do you remember when you came to Storybrooke with Henry for the first time? You did anything but push him away.”

“He’s a kid,” Emma sighed.

“Come on, Swan. You could have left him here and everything would have been fine--still cursed, but fine--and left him to his stories,” Regina said. “But you stayed with him, for better or worse for me, and helped everyone.” She knelt down on the floor, trying to find a position in the skirt she was wearing, reaching over tentatively to touch Emma. “Maybe you only push away the people that don’t matter.”

“Hell, you’ve been trying to be my friend since you got here.” 

Emma bit her lip, realizing that as she pushed away her parents, Hook, Graham, August, basically everyone, she had kept trying to be close to Regina, who hated her.

“I guess I just always thought…” Emma trailed off with really no explanation of her actions. “I’ve always felt a connection to you. Maybe it was Henry.” She shrugged underneath the blanket.

Regina moved closed to Emma, finding herself stroking the blonde’s hair. This was incredibly unlike anything she would ever do -- drunk or sober. 

“He’s probably the only kid with two moms who hate each other,” Emma said, trying to break the awkwardness.

Regina laughed. “To be fair, his entire family is kind of screwed up,” she said, making Emma laugh.

There was silence for a few moments before Regina said the last thing she ever expected to say to Emma Swan. “I don’t hate you, Emma.” Everything about that sentence felt weird to say, down to using her first name.

“I’ve never hated you either,” Emma said quietly. She slowly sat up, running a hand through her hair. “I should probably go home. My parents -- they need me to watch Neal.”

Regina slowly stood up, nodding as she took the blanket back from Emma, who smiled a thanks before leaving the manor. Regina sat back down on the arm chair in the warm room. She soon fell asleep, curled into the chair, the memories of what happened that night swirling in her head.


	2. No Good Deed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina goes to talk to Zelena about making amends, especially with Roland. What she finds changes her plans immensely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really liked having Roland there, and I didn't want it to just been Swan Queen, so this is a cute chapter for Roland. Subplots! Yay!
> 
> TW: Roland is kept in not-so-great places because of Zelena. If that upsets you, it's only a sentence and does not go into detail.

The next day, Regina woke up with a pounding headache and a horrible pain in her back from sitting curled up in the chair where she had fallen asleep. She vaguely remembered her (drunken) conversation with Emma, but what had actually been said had been erased from her mind. 

She looked around for the blonde, but only saw a Post-It note on waiting for her to read on her desk. 

_Thanks for the cider, and the company. - Emma_

Maybe she glanced at the paper a little longer than normal, but her headache soon got the better of her. She stumbled, walking into the kitchen where she poured herself a tall glass of water. Her mind was fuzzy on what happened last night. No clothes were off, that was always a good sign, and it just seemed like she and Emma...talked. And...got along?

She looked around, hearing her bed calling for her, but most of all, hearing her teeth begging to be brushed. Luckily she lived where she worked, so no one had to see her like this. She rubbed her head, feeling like she had been hit by a truck and contemplating just going back to bed (an actual bed) for a few hours, when the doorbell rang.

 _Fuck._ She had a meeting with Mary Margaret, something about renaming the park or making it more kid-friendly (isn’t a park already kid-friendly?) - something along those lines. She could magic herself away and not be home, pretending she forgot about the meeting, but as mayor, she had to do this. She took off her jacket, to at least try to look different, like she wasn’t wearing the same clothes as the day before, and ruffled her hair until she looked (somewhat?) presentable.

She opened the door to an unnaturally cheerful Mary Margaret, who was holding Neal.

“Hey, Regina, I hope you don’t mind I brought Neal--Emma and David are out doing chasing Pongo, so I am left without a babysitter,” Mary Margaret said. She said all of this in basically one breath, portraying the stress only a Mom/Grandmother could feel.

“Please, come in,” Regina said, trying to keep up the niceties and not show that she was completely hungover. Actually, she mostly wanted Mary Margaret inside because the sun was not helping her headache.

Once Mary Margaret was ushered in and led to the office space, with Regina at her desk and Mary Margaret on one of the couches, Mary Margaret began to plead her case. Not that Regina still had the faintest idea about what her case was.

“...The park is just a complete disaster, and our children need a place to play...it would be beneficial for kids...surely as a mother you understand…”

That was only a bit of what Regina caught of Mary Margaret’s long winded case of why the park should be preserved and not torn down and replaced with a Starbucks _(Finally)_. Regina sighed, rubbing her temple.

“The park is a necessity for keeping Storybrooke a small town like it’s always been,” Regina conceded. “I tell you what--I will allow you to bring it to the town hall meeting next week.” Sure, it was basically a cop out since barely anyone went to the meetings, but it seemed to placate Mary Margaret and she stood up, ready to leave.

“Thank you, Regina. That was very fair of you,” Mary Margaret said. “N-Not that you’re not always fair, I just expected--”

Regina suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. “Well, you’re right, I am a mother and Henry did have his place to play when he was younger. How is Henry?”

“Oh, he’s great,” Mary Margaret gushed. “He’s really taken a liking to Roland become sort of his mentor. It’s nice to see him work with someone who--”

“Also had a horrible mother?”

Mary Margaret looked at Regina with what could only be called pity and maybe a bit scared. Regina normally through a fireball at anyone who looked on her with pity.

“It’s fine, Ms. Blanchard,” Regina said, with an (unmagical) wave of her hand. “I get the sentiment.”

“He loved making that book for Roland,” Mary Margaret said. “According to Henry that witch, Zelena, keeps him locked away whenever she was alone with him. Roland is too afraid to tell Robin.”

There was a hint of hope in her voice. Had this not been about the park at all? _Sneaky_ , Mary Margaret.

“And you want me to see what I can do,” Regina said slowly.

“You are the most powerful witch here,” Mary Margaret said. ( _Flattery_. Excellent, Mary Margaret) “You could take care of Zelena, or at least make her treat Roland like a human being.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Regina said, though she smirked to herself. A little head to head with Zelena was always fun.

“Thanks for listening,” Mary Margaret said, getting out of the house before she said anything else - smoke was already coming from Regina’s hand.

~*~

Regina had a list of things to do, and decided the best thing to do would be to absolve the Hood family (as it were) of this riddance, Zelena. However, since Zelena had proved multiple times that she was capable of whatever it took to get what she wanted, that wasn’t quite the plan.

She timed her visit when she knew Robin would be away, knocking on the door of the log cabin. She guessed the woods weren't Zelena's idea of anything she was worthy of.

Zelena opened the door, her welcoming smile immediately vanishing.

“And what do you want?” Zelena asked. “Have you made yourself an appointment?”

Regina scoffed. “An appointment? For what?” she asked, looking around the house, which looked like an ordinary log cabin, except for one room, which had the faint noise of relaxing music, and a scent of incense that overwhelmed Regina as she followed Zelena into the house. 

No signs of Roland yet.

Something wasn’t right. She continued to follow Zelena, pretending to listen to something about predicting the future -- pretending to be an orator for only $10 (or 2 futures for $15!).

“And you actually expect people to pay for this farce?”

Regina looked around. A spell. She could feel the presence of one but couldn’t put her finger on it -- or rather, her nose. The incense was more powerful the longer you stayed. She could smell the ingredients in the potion--Dark Magic. But for what?

“Dear, you have no idea the stupidity of the people in this town,” Zelena chuckled. “Or -- maybe _you_ do.”

Regina sniffed again and then she realized. The incense was laced with magic to keep the client in a state of relaxation, ie: it made them high enough to believe she was telling the truth. Something had been added, and Regina started to lose her inhibitions.

And Roland had been absorbing the magic for who knew how long.

“Does Robin know you do this?” Regina asked, trying to keep her eyes open. This hypnotic spell was strong. Too strong for someone like Roland.

“Just a little dash in his tea in the morning and he believes whatever I say,” Zelena said, holding up what must have been the incense. 

“Where’s Roland?” Regina asked.

“Roland and Robin,” she mocked. “face it dear, I won. Just let it go.” 

“You’re exposing that child to dark magic!” Regina said. “Roland?? Roland, if you can hear me, answer me!!”

There was a small knock on the floorboard, meaning that Roland was under the house. Regina immediately found the hatch in the ground, going downstairs where Roland was curled up in a ball. Regina immediately picked him up, holding him to her as they walked outside, as far away from the house as they could get.

“Regina,” Roland said, rubbing his eyes. “What’s going on?” 

“What’s going on is--” Regina sighed, Robin might believe Zelena, but he wouldn’t after she showed him where his son was locked up. “I’m gonna call your Dad and then we’re gonna go for ice cream.”

Roland gave her a grin full of baby teeth when he realized his coloring book was missing. “My coloring book!” he yelled.

“Where is it?” Regina asked, kneeling down to his level. 

Zelena came up behind them, holding the coloring book. She slowly lit her hand and soon the coloring book was burning, page by page, word by word.

"No!" Roland yelled, starting to cry.

_“Henry, this book is nothing but lies and fairytales! You need to get your mind out of this book of lies and pay attention in the real world.”_

_“But look at all the happy endings!”_

_Regina snatched the book from Henry. “Happy endings don’t happen. Do your home work.” ___

__Regina watched as the book was burned to ash, and watched Zelena brush her hands of. "That takes care of that."_ _

__Regina glared at the woman in front of her. She contemplated throwing multiple fireballs with all of her might at Zelena for making Roland sob in her arms, but she thought better of it, barely. "You have just sealed your fate," Regina said through her teeth._ _

__"Over a _coloring book_? Dear me, Regina. I had no idea you were so sentimental," Zelena said._ _

__Regina hoisted Roland in her arms and walked away, ignoring Zelena's shouts of kidnapping. She could explain this to Emma if Zelena even cared to call the police. She quickly drove to Granny's, Roland only barely calming down. When they got there, Regina knelt down, and stroked his hair as she said, “We will have Henry write another one. And I’ll use magic to make sure it can’t be ripped, how about that?”_ _

__Roland nodded, slowly calming down at the calm tone of Regina's voice, but he still didn't let go._ _

__**Text to Robin:** taking Roland out for ice cream. We need to talk._ _

__A text quickly came back, endearingly showing Robin hadn’t figured out spell check._ _

__**Text from Robin:** ok. willllll meat u at ice creem shop._ _

__“We’re gonna make sure you’re safe,” Regina promised Roland. Besides the obvious closeness to Henry, she didn't know what made her want to protect Roland despite the fact that she couldn't be with Robin. She chalked it up to the innocence of Roland and all he was exposed to, and, despite her reputation, she wanted to keep this child innocent._ _

__Robin was under an unknown spell by Zelena, so she would have to talk to Belle and Gold. This had to be done by her, and her alone._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to comment! Do you want more SQ? Do you like subplots? Should I keep Zelena in? Lemme know!

**Author's Note:**

> Don't forget to leave comments!


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